(Update: 15 Jan image added) A smokin’ hot AR1040

[Dennis]

Hello,

Today was one of those days when everything just came together. After an inauspiciously cloudy start, I set up the rig around noon and as I captured the first few avi’s, I knew that amongst them, I may have something quite special.

After Registax 5 did its Align, Refine, Sort and Stack routines, I was left gasping, in awe, with what the seeing had allowed me to witness. This is far and above my best ever hi-res image of a sun spot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the privilege of being in the right place, at the right time, with the seeing and equipment gods smiling down on me.:)

Thanks for looking.

Cheers

Dennis

[erick]

Exciting Dennis. Great image!

[Matty P]

That is superb Dennis. Awesome clarity. :)

My hat goes off to you. Great work. :thumbsup:

[bartman]

Well wicked.
I was looking at the 'Sun in mdi ' shot and wished I had a sun filter etc......
great job

[sheeny]

Excellent work as usual Dennis!:thumbsup:

Al.

[Matt Wastell]

Dennis - now that is AWESOME!!!!!!!
Congratulations on your image!

[multiweb]

:eyepop: The resolution and details in that pic are quite amazing. It's funny to see the alternating sharp and blurry areas. Is this caused by the different turbulences on the surface of the sun?

[spacezebra]

WOW! Stunning Dennis!

Cheers Petra d.

[iceman]

Wow that's a brilliant image, Dennis.

Excellent resolution and clarity.

[Clayton]

Amazing shot

[Paul Haese]

Superb image Dennis. Granulation is look very nice. Well done.:thumbsup:

[Tamtarn]

Extraordinary capture Dennis.

We can certainly understand why you were left gasping in awe :eyepop:

D & B

[bloodhound31]

Just look at that will ya??! The sheer power and size of that awesome engine, humming away faithfully providing life here with heat and light.

What a fantastic image mate. So well done!

Baz.

[Dennis]

Thank you for your nice words of appreciation for this dramatic image – they inspired me to squeeze even more from the data!:)

I decided that I would download, install and use AviStack as it appeared to offer the capability to process more alignment points which I though may render the details across the frame more evenly. Well, I was blown away with the capability of AviStack and the final results.

The use of 100’s of alignment points has led to more even and consistent processing of the faculae and has done more justice to the data.

Cheers

Dennis

[leinad]

Whooah! Another smashing image Dennis!
Love the detail you've captured. You've certainly got the tracking working well.

Major improvement in processing there. Quite noticeable the alignment points in the first process.

[sheeny]

That's simply superb, Dennis!:thumbsup: Avistack looks the goods. I have down loaded it some time ago but I haven't installed it yet:rolleyes:.

Al.

[iceman]

Wow, avistack has really done a much better job.

Nice!

[h0ughy]

wow fantastic shots Dennis, and congrats for the spaceweather mention

[Liz]

Smoking hot!! That is for sure - ecxellent image :thumbsup:

[trent_julie]

Nicely done !!

[multiweb]

:eyepop:AviStack did a superb alignment. All those blurry areas have gone. What a shot! :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

The good seeing has continued in Brisbane so despite a reddening neck, dehydration and heat fatigue, here is an image from 10:20am today, Thursday 14th January.:)

Cheers

Dennis

[leinad]

*spits coffee on keyboard* Awesome!

The solar boys over at Cloudy Nights would be impressed if you haven't posted there already.

Now.. an animated gif at that resolution if possible would 'kick ass' !

Keep up the good work! :D

[RB]

Absolutely stunning work Dennis.
You're reprocess using AviStack has yielded a magnificent result.

Congratulations on making Spaceweather.com too, as Houghy mentioned.

:thumbsup:

[Matt Wastell]

Awesome to stupendous!
Great re process!

[Paul Haese]

Ripper image (latest)

[sasup]

That is so sweet. What filter did you use????

[csb]

Wow! Great detail.

I can see a Pheonix in the first images. How appropriate:)

[Rigel003]

Dennis, these must be about the best amateur sunspot photos in white light I've ever seen. Just amazing. It's a great recommendation for AVI Stack too.

[Dennis]

Day 3 of the series and the seeing is not quite as good, my neck is redder and my sun tan is deepening! Here is AR1040 recorded during one of the few clear spells earlier in the morning – clouds have since rolled in preventing any further action today.

The changes in size and structure since 12th January when I first recorded this spot are quite noticeable. I will try to put together an animation showing the changes over the 4 days I managed to record some data. I now have some insight into the daily tasks and activities performed by professional solar observers! LOL!

Cheers

Dennis

[Dennis]

I thought that I’d just summarise a few things and respond to a couple of the questions in the last few posts, but firstly, thanks for your words of appreciation.:)

I’ve been very fortunate indeed to encounter such rare, good seeing. The single AVI from 13th Jan appears to have recorded the peak of the good seeing; it has been all downhill since then…sigh…

The full aperture solar filter on the front of the OTA is made from Baader Astro Film and is the solar version, designed for astro photography only as it transmits far more light than is safe compared to the visual film.

On the DMK31 CCD I have a 1 ¼ inch Baader IR block filter. I was shooting at 1/2000 sec with Gain between 330 and 350 depending on the altitude of the Sun and the presence of thin, wispy clouds.

AviStack certainly appears to excel where the underlying data is made up of small details or cells, distributed across the whole frame. I didn’t attempt to use dozens of alignment points in Registax so I cannot make any comparisons here. I had to read the AviStack manual at least twice before I managed to get to grips with it. When I tweaked the various “control” variables to better match my data, the processing time was reduced from a couple of hours to less than 15 minutes on my PC! Read The Manual!:rolleyes:

Typically, AviStack used between 1,000 and 3,000 reference points during its processing stages, hence the nice uniform results across the frame.:eyepop:

Cheers

Dennis

[rat156]

Hey Dennis,

How'd you like to write a "How to use AviStack" for people like me who have trouble with manuals!

Great pictures BTW.

Cheers
Stuart (Now downloading AviStack)

[Quark]

Hi Dennis,

I have been away on hols and missed your most excellent AR1040 image. I take my hat of to you Dennis, whatever you do, you do really well and that trend continues with this solar image.

[Matt Wastell]

Super again!
You can really see the foreshortening (in the latest image) as the region turns the limb!